Tunnel construction.



D. D. MCBEAN.

TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION F|Ll.ll ma. 21. ma.

Patented-Mar. 26,1918.

5 SHEETS-SHEET1.

D. D. McBE AN. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICTION FILED FEB. 2|. 1916.

Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

D. D. MCBEAN. I UNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

AFPLICATION FILED FEB. 21.1916.

L2BO;A1 6.. Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3- o. n. MCBEANQ TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. 19l6.

Patnted Mar. 26, 1918.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

D. D. McBEAN. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTIONf APP.ICATION man rza.zwms.

smans-suczr s.

M m. ...m. U.

A Mm D, D.McBEAN. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 21. f9H. v

' Patented Mar. 26, 1918.

6 SHEETSSHEET 6.

Mamma.

4 line equippecl wth a suitable number of p1votecl "in the structure or outside of it.

'cnsttutes a cornp'zxrtment in Whlch the or other sews may be placecl anl acljustably 1nountecl on fixecl supports therein to cut oif these ples or-planks at the exact levels cleslrecl end ths wthout reference to the exact location ofthe ples wth reference to the stxucture abeve it 01 whether saicl ples have been clriven through the tubes 01 in case of a rock bottom concrete columns or supports mey be laid of the proper heght so that in either case a finn founclaton at any eXact and precletermnecl gracle for tun nels in seetons of any le'ngth s very greatly acltated. 7

By the use of the above clescrbed structure other important aclvantages may be secured. F01 exzunple, the out-scle Walls of the structure, partcularly those towarcl the of the projectecl trench, may be clrelgng ppes anrl m eans or acljustlng the poston of the seme, controllable preferably' withn the compressed ar Clmnuber, Whch pipes corn1nun0ate wth suitble pumps vvitlnn the ar chamber; whereby son beng made for mucl, slt, or other soft 1nateral formng the bottone arouncl may be removed by the pipes anl ralsecl to scows on the surface. In this way, proviaclvancing tl1e structure, the trench may be excavatecl around or uncler the charnber 01 extended nheacl of the last tunnel seetion laicl in place, preferbly, by layng beams or rals on the sawecl off piles ancl rumiing trncks over these .whch support the structure end ecl- Vance it as the 1naterlal of the trench le le moved.

These and other results Wl1ch are securecl by my inventontencl to greatly reduce the cost of tunnel construction ancl very nienterally lessen the labor 2x'ncl clllculty experencecl in such work. In 'adclton to provclng a cheap ancl reacly means 025 laying tunnel sectons lowerecl successvely to their final poslton in the ordinary way, the inventon afiorclsa means f01 carrying out other ancl entirely new processes of constructng tunnels, as

' tions up Vertically uncler water and tppng them onto a subscantally horzontel foundaan nventon whch s net further clescrbed herein, es it Will be made thesubj ect of other applcatons.

Referrng now to the clmwngs hereto annexecl Whch illustrate the specfic conancl through the eny 01 ahead of the structu're structon of the parts end applanees aboy more generally descrbecl- V Figure 1'1s; a sectionel View hav'e aboVe reftarrecl taveling chamber or cl1;eclge, a etrutur'e of the general character ancl dimensione of a sectn 'of the tunnel to be lad, 'e'ncl when clesirable of somewhat greater lengththan wclth. In th'1s figure the secton is elong the line of the greater climension;

Fig. 2 le an ideal illustraton of a secton of tunnel re'acly for layng-n a tre1ich whch is assumecl ,to have been made under such section when turnecl et right angles te the poslton Sl1own in thls figure. 7

Fi 3 le a sectonal view of the same otwhat I te asrny submar1ne parts equippecl wth dredgng or other appliances ancl means f01 clrvng piles through the structure.

'F1g. 4 le e s1nnlar v1ew of thesame parts lt along a prevously exczw a.tel trench.

Fig. 5 s a sonnewhat enlargecl view 'of the; same structuxe 1llustrat1ng other features of' constructon usecl in proclu'cng it.

856 showng the 1neans employed 01 advaneing' Fig. 6 is a smla'r view of the;sztn1e parte et 'rght angles to, Fig. 5.

Fig, shown in Fig.

3 wth parts,cut way,; 2m On a somewhet 7 larger scale.

parecl by the-clev1cesof tl1e previene figures.

Fig. 9 ls a sectonal vew scale of the .construetionof thestructures of Fgs. 1 and 2. f V 7 Fig. 10 ls a plen ancl part sectional view of the salme parts. 7

Fig. 11 is 2L sectonal veW 0f atloubl'e tunnel sectn..

Fig. 12 le e seetonal detnl of EL n1eans tor renderng water tight the jonts of the sheathing st1rrounclngtlie tunnel. M 7

Fig'. 13 le e plan wlew of a moclficnton of the provson f01 clrvng piles or sheetng through the structure. V V

Fig. 14 isa cletallecl ll1strten. of an attaehmentto the dreclgng applances..

So far es le pmcteable 0npurposes o llustmton, hzwe the several figures ci the clrawngs.

The generel constructon of the tunnel secton or subnnarne clreclge s shown in Fgs. 1 ancl 2. This consists of e boxllke strncture 01 chamber 1, usuztlly several feet greater in lengtl1 than 1n W1cltll,provclecl usecl the same nuxnerals to mchcate corresponchng parte throughout.

6 between thetwo,

the poston shown m 7 le e plan view of tl1e structurel ios V tanks above it, in combination With means for lowerng and raising the structure to and from the water becl forpre'paring a trench end founclaton for tunnel sections.

3. A closecl chamloer having an open compressecl ai1 compartment at the bottom ancl tubes or slots extending through the structure Wl1ereby a trench may be exoa.vated under the structure when lowered to the bottom ancl ples or planking driven into the mud through said tubes or slots end out olf at the desirecl height to forno the foundaton for the completed tunnel sectons When laid thereon.

4. A struoture for building foundatons for subaqueous tunnels consistng of a closed chamber adapted to be sunk to the bottom end havng in its lower porton an open bottomed compressecl air charnber for excavating a trench under the structure, tubes or slots through the structure through Which ples or plankng may be clrven from above into the mucl end a saw adapted for attach- 1nent to fixed beams or supports Wthn the compressecl air chamber tor cutting Off the said piles at the proper levels for forming {L foundaton for the tunnel.

5. A structure f0r blllldllg' foundations for subequeous tunnels, consisting of a chamber with air end water-tight top, sicles end encls, a horzontal water-tight parttion clividing the chamber with an open bottomecl compressed ar chamber below and ballast tanks above and ar look tubes for aflording a0Cess to said chamber, in combnation Wtl1 clredge pipes normally connected to the outside Walls of the structure, and a pump in the compressed air chamber by means of Whieh mud taken up by the clredge ppes may be raisecl to a scow at the surface.

6. A structure for building foundatons for subaqueous tunnels, consist1ng in a closed chamber adapted to be sunk to the bottom end having at its lower part a compressed air compartment open to the mud, tubes or slots through the structure for driving piles or planks into the mud from the surfzwe,

Gopfles of this pateml; may be obtainedl fmr five cento each, by addressing the Washington, D. (2.

1neans for cuttng olf said piles at the desired levels for the foundation ancl trucks adapted to support the structure on beams lad on said piles whereby the structure may be advanced for progressively preparng a foundation for the finished tunnel.

structure for buildng the foundation for subaqueous tunnels consistng in a closecl chamber adapted to be sunk to the bottom, a compressed air compartment at the bottom of the structure open to the mud, tubes pessingthrough the entire structure through whch piles may be clriven from the surface, the lower parts of said tubes wthin the compressed er compartment being detachable from the man porton and valves for closing the encls of the tubes when the lower parts are detached.

8. The means heren describeol for controlling the buoyaney ci subaqueous tunnel sections, consisting in supporting wulls containng I-beams, the spaces between some of Whch are fillecl Wth concrete, end pas- Sages in or undel the sheathing for introclucing Water to the empty spaces.

9. A structure for progressively excavating a trench under water consistihg in a closed chamber adaptecl to be sunk to the bottom, dreclgng ppes operating to remove the mud around the chamber, a transverse slotted dredging pipe at the rear of the chamloer f0r smoothing the bottom of the trench and a pump wthin the chamber connected with all of saicl clreclging ppes.

10. A structure for progressvely excavating a trench under water provded Wth passages through the saune through Which piles to form a. tunnel founolation may be driven, means located in the structure for cutting 01' saicl ples at the clesrecl level, in combnaton with trasks laid upon said ples, trucks thereon supporting the structure end IIIGELI1S for raisng the structure to a greater or lese extent upon such trucks.

In testimony whereof' I affix my sgnature.

DUNCAN D. MCBEAN.

Gommissioner of Patente, 

